Common plant and flower diseases
Everyone who gardens will sooner or
later have to deal with common diseases of plants and flowers. While some gardeners are luckier than others
in this regard, everyone, from the smallest casual gardener to the largest commercial
growing operation, has had to grapple with this serious issue.
Both flowering and non-flowering plants
are prone to a number of pathogens, including bacteria, fungi and viruses. Fungi are able to survive in the soil,
independent of the plants, while both bacteria and viruses require a plant host
for their survival.
Fungi are among the most primitive of
all organisms, and they are able to reproduce through the use of spores. These spores can be extremely difficult to
kill, and the spores are designed to spread rapidly. Fungi produce spores in
large numbers, and some of the spores are able to enter plants through their
roots, while other spores attach themselves to the leaves of the plant. A single infected plant can release up to 100
million spores, so it is important to completely eradicate any fungal
infection.
Unlike fungi, which can lie dormant for
years or even decades in the soil, bacteria need both warmth and water to
multiply and grow. Therefore, the
majority of bacterial diseases are more of a problem in climates that are both
warm and wet. Bacterial infections are
easily spread through rain, splashing water, and even unknowingly by gardeners
as they move between their plants. Most
bacteria enter plants through a natural opening like a flower, or through a
wound or cut in a stem or leaf.
Viruses are even smaller life forms than
bacteria, and they are able to reproduce only from within the cells of the
plant or animal they infect. Certain
viruses can be transmitted from plant to plant by insects such as aphids,
thrips and leafhoppers, while still others can be carried by infected seeds or
pollen spores. Like bacteria, viruses
often enter plants through cuts or wounds in the stems, leaves or other parts
of the plant.
As with all other disease treatment, the
first step to effectively treating a viral, bacterial or fungal infection in
the garden is to diagnose it properly.
Every gardener should keep a book or guide on hand which shows the
effects of common plant diseases. This
guide will prove invaluable when trying to figure out what is bothering your
plants. If you are still stumped for a
diagnosis, be sure to seek the assistance of the staff at your local garden
center, or the help of a more experienced gardener.
When treating bacterial, fungal and
viral infections, the best approach is to try the most natural, least invasive
methods first, and to move on only if those natural cures do not produce
results. It is always a good idea to
keep the use of harsh chemical pesticides and fungicides to a minimum, both for
the health of your garden and the health of the wider environment.
Post a Comment